the Weekender

Happy Hellos from a very bitter cold day here in the Ozarks. Brrrr. I hope you’re staying warm. Isn’t the black-and-white photo above just gorgeous? Full credit goes to Finley Farms; they posted this to their Facebook page. It’s a photo I could get lost in… the chapel, the bridge, the river.

Miscellany:

1. Snow Days were on my Bingo card this week. Woo-hoo! We ventured into town on Tuesday. The highways and main roads were all clear — some parking lots and side roads were questionable.

And with snow days comes baking. Right? Pillsbury Cinnamon Buns somehow made their way into my refrigerator, but I made them. Ha. Yes, I bought them to have some extra comfort food on a cold, snowy morning.

And later in the week, I had some overripe bananas sitting on the counter and decided to make my favorite Frosted Banana Cookies. Nom Nom Nom.

…and speaking of snow days, here are my sweet boys protecting our home from their favorite window. You can see some of the snow we got. This picture is a new favorite.

2. Since moving to the Springfield area, I’ve done 90% of my computer work on the dining room table. My laptop has been a fixture there. Mainly because of dogs and being their doorman. Hee hee.

Well, now that we have a doggy door and I don’t have to work there, I can finally say that my everyday work piles are GONE. Yes, and AMEN!

However, I still like to “work” out there; I just needed to have an option. I found this portable adjustable standing desk and snatched it for under $50. Since it’s adjustable, I can sit or stand, and with wheels, I can work from anywhere in the house. Booyah!

3. Have you ever used shoe stretchers? Me? Nope. Nevertheless, there is a first time for everything. I bought a pair of sneakers online in December and wore them for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I quickly learned that the toe box was a little narrower than my toes care for. Amazon to the rescue. I ordered a pair, and the sneakers have been sitting for about 36 hours.

4. I saw this quote on Instagram, and it really spoke to me. So good.

“Gratitude shifts your focus from what’s missing to what’s meaningful. When you practice it daily, you begin to appreciate the life you’re already living and discover joy right where you are.” (account: calltoleap)

The last couple of years, I have been working much harder on practicing gratitude… and it makes a BIG difference in your mental health.

5. I shared these Olive You Printables this week — I thought they were fun and make great little “kind” gestures for friends and family

6. I decided that I needed a HydroJug in my life. I’ve been following a gal on FB for years, and she always has a HydroJug in her hand. Anywho, I love that it has a flip straw — I wonder how often I’ll use my Stanley now that I bought one. I got the 40 oz. Hydrojug in the Wildflower design. I love it — but I’m now obsessing over this Cottage Core, too. And, ummm, this dog-themed one is kinda cute too.

7. Movies and Shows I’ve seen or am currently watching:

• Ripple (Netflix): A very good series that takes you on an emotional roller coaster ride. However, it was very good, and they left it open — maybe for another season?
• Apples Never Fall (Peacock): One word: WOW! This one was wild, and the ending was quite unexpected.
• The Hunting Party S2 is now airing on NBC (Peacock): I watched Season 1 and enjoyed it. I’ve only watched the first episode of the current season. It’s about a special team hunting down serial killers who escaped a secret prison.
• Peaky Blinders (Netflix): We’re now in Season 5, and I’m still very much enjoying it. There is a fair amount of language, sex, and violence. I’m not easily offended, but you’ve been warned.

8. Did I tell you guys we got an espresso machine? After our Airbnb in Colorado had a machine, I was pretty convinced we needed one. The keyword being “needed.” Lol. So, we ended up getting the same one they had — it’s nothing fancy, but it makes espresso and has a milk frother.

Let’s be honest, I’m an espresso-making newbie, learning as I go and figuring things out one cup at a time. Thankfully, I prefer simple espresso drinks without all the fancy extras. For the most part, I like breves and lattes. This week, I made what I’d like to think was a breve a couple of different times.

This homebody could be even more of one now. I’m sitting here having a good chuckle.

Around the Web:

These adorable Vintage Valentine Printables.

These Chip Chip Hooray Printable Valentines

This Valentine’s Day Favor or Snack Idea.

These Crochet Heart Gift Tags.

These darling Small Heart Containers.

This Air Dry Clay project (Instagram).

This Printed Cardigan is so cute!

Thoughts on this design trend?

These Black Woven Ballet Flats.

This Taco Soup (perfect for this cold weather).

These Slow Cooker Asian Meatballs.

These Sour Cream Coffee Cake Mini Loaves

One Last Hoorah:

I’ve been treating myself to a piece (or two) of Dark Dove Chocolate every now and again. I love the little messages inside the wrapper. This was a reminder I needed, and I had to share it with you in case you needed the reminder too.